Anna’s Hope – Big Fairy Picnic in the Park

Anna's Hope

Yesterday we had a really fun day out and it was mainly just the girls (Jelly Bean gatecrashed) as we went to the Big Fairy Picnic in the Park at Burghley House. The Big Fairy Picnic is a fundraising event for the charity Anna’s Hope. Anna’s Hope was inspired by Anna Hughes who died from a brain tumour when she was just 3 years old and has been set up to give hope to children and young people diagnosed with a brain tumour. The charity aims to raise money to fund research into a cure for children with brain tumours and improve rehabilitation facilities and support.

Anna's Hope

Founder of Anna’s Hope and Anna’s Mummy, Carole Hughes said:

‘Anna loved dressing up as a fairy and we were delighted that everyone had such a great time at last year’s fairy picnic. There were little fairies, big fairies, sumo fairies and soldier fairies and lots of fairies have asked us to have a picnic again.’

Being a Mum myself, this story really pulls on my heart strings and so as I was preparing this post, a recent email sprang into my mind. I have been contacted by the AO Happy Badger and asked if I would like to select a worthy charity who the AO Happy Badger can make a £50 donation to and so I have chosen Anna’s Hope. To find out more about the AO Happy Badger just click on the badge at the bottom of this post or in my sidebar to the right.

Anna's Hope

Yesterday, fairies and elves of all shape, size and description gathered together in the beautiful grounds of Burghley House to have a picnic, play games, try out new crafts, get their faces painted, listen to music and generally have lots of fun. All those who dressed up were given half price admission to the Garden of Surprises.

Anna's Hope

Please accept my apologies before you continue, as usual I got a little trigger happy with my camera and I’m afraid I just couldn’t cut them down any further than I have done already so there are quite a few photographs to plough through.

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope Little Bean loved making these leather keyrings, she chose the pictures and hammered them herself. She made one for herself and then asked if she could make one for Beanie Boy, then just as we were about to head home she asked if she could make a bookmark for me where she chose a different picture for each of my four babies and I love it!

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

After we had tried our hand at the activities set up at the Big Fairy Picnic we went into the beautiful Garden of Surprises. I was secretly excited about the prospect of this because I think you will agree that Little Bean looks soooo pretty in her fairy dress and I just knew that the Garden of Surprises would offer up some great opportunities for some stunning shots of her and I am soooo happy with the results . . .

Fairy picnic (8)

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

I’m getting pretty good at the old #Mummyfail at the moment and I didn’t disappoint again on this occasion. Despite knowing full well that we would be going to the Garden of Surprises and that Little Bean would want to play in the water fountains, I completely forgot to take her a swimsuit. Luckily I did have her spare fairy dress so I didn’t mind if she wanted to play in the water and get it wet, it adds to the pictures too and I just love the look of joy on her face – she had a wail of a time!

Anna's Hope

Anna's Hope

 

12 thoughts on “Anna’s Hope – Big Fairy Picnic in the Park”

  1. What a fantastic day with my girls for a brilliant cause. As usual your comments and photos never cease to amaze Sabina, I am truly proud of what you manage to achieve in your busy day. Little Bean made the perfect fairy and fitted in perfectly in the garden of surprises where she had a ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. What a beautiful day out, I love your pictures too, it’s wonderful to see such happy smiles, even with the underlying sadness of the actual event. Anna’s parents must have felt very proud. Your little water nymph looks like she had a ball jumping through the fountains. Such a lovely post x

    • AW thank you, I wish I had videoed my daughter she has such an infectious laugh and giggled non-stop in the water. As you say though, such a shame for poor Anna and her parents it must be a bittersweet event for them x

  3. looks like amazing fun, and such a great cause. Your daughter is beautiful, makes a great fairy. Smart thinking with the spare dress. Sad that people need charities like this, but the world can be a cruel place.
    Would you mind if I mention for anybody that uses Anna’s Hope there is another Charity called Calums Cabin that allow families dealing with a child with cancer to go to Bute for a free holiday, all expenses paid. You can find out more here http://www.calumscabin.com/calum-s-story.html. I did my happy badger for them and maybe somebody reading this might be able to utilise the cabin.

  4. My son loves dressing up a fairy.I hope you raise a lot more money.Have you tried Picmonkey for making collages? I’m popping over from Country Kids.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.